Missa Gaia/Earth Mass

By the Paul Winter Consort – Jim Scott and other co-composers

Published by Hal Leonard Corporation

Choral score book available here or from Hal Leonard

This choral work is by several co-composers, and Jim wrote three of the pieces and arranged others. All are SATB (some optional children’s choir parts and a couple of solos). The choral score has literal piano accompaniments with chord symbols. The full orchestrated accompaniment, with parts for sax, oboe, cello, guitar and rhythm section (with a larger conductor’s score) are available from Hal Leonard.

Notes from Jim:

I’ve enjoyed being a featured “Guest Artist – Co-composer” in many performances, and would love to be involved in future concerts with choirs. I like to sing some of the solos of course, and can be of particular help with bringing together the (improvising) rhythm section. Please do be in touch if you’re interested.

The pieces in the published vocal score:

Canticle – Music by Jim Scott and Paul Winter. words by St. Francis of Assisi (the “Brother Sun Sister Moon” words) and winding up with a climactic reprise of “For the Beauty of the Earth.” (words by Pierpont, melody traditional from plain chant “Adoro te Devote”). Set to an African 12/8 rhythm.

Kyrie – by Paul Halley and Paul Winter. Starts with the recorded call of a wolf, and that becomes the melody/theme for the piece. African 12/8 rhythm.

The Beatitudes – Music by Jim Scott, words from the Book of Matthew, Solo with SATB. This is the biggest piece in the work. It starts out mystical then becomes a song-like couple of verses then builds up to a Gospel style repeated refrain that goes out rocking.

Sanctus – by Paul Halley and Paul Winter. The humpback whale sings four melodic calls, then that becomes a motif for the singers. Rhythm is a fast samba.

Agnus Dei – The choral piece (by Jim Scott) is written over an earlier instrumental piece called “Seal Eyes” by Paul Winter and Jim Scott. It features the sax soaring over the choir and the (recorded) calls of seals. SATB, piano and optional trio of soprano sax, English horn, and cello.

The Blue Green Hills of Earth – by Kim Oler – This is a great hymn by itself. It’s in the UU Hymnbook singing the Journey in a simple song format.. Another arrangement of just the song with harmony and extra obligatto line is in the Earth and Spirit Songbook.

Mystery – Solo w/SATB, this beautiful song by Jeremy Geffen was recorded just as a solo on the original Missa Gaia recording by the Paul Winter Consort. I’ve made a choral accompaniment that I think helps it be even more emotionally climactic. It’s not included in the Missa Gaia vocal score but available separately as an octavo. It’s listed as “Mystery, from the Missa Gaia/Earth Mass on the Hal Leonard site.

Let Us Go Forth in Peace – reprise of the Canticle.

Additional pieces available (not in the Hal Leonard vocal score):

For the Beauty of the Earth – There are two a cappella versions of this hymn available. One my slightly modern take of the original hymn (also included in the Earth and Spirit Songbook). The other is a 5-voice jazz choir style ballad with some tight harmonies. They are both included in the Hymns to Jazz book, but are also available separately here.

Mystery – Composed by Jeremy Geffen, choral arr. by Jim Scott

This beautiful song is now published by Hal Leonard. It is not in the Missa Gaia vocal book, but published separately.

The Earth is Ours – Words by Robert J. Lurtzema, music by Jim Scott. This wasn’t on the original recording but was a poem often read with Missa Gaia performances. I eventually set it to a lush, jazzy samba. A vocal piano version is in my songbook, and a choral version is available here.

Yemanja (Iemanja) – A traditional Brazilian chant to the god of the waters. Choir sings unison on the recording. There is no published version of this one at this point as far as I know. The music is available by request from Paul Winter’s Living Music Productions.